Construction of machine frameworks



Feb. 18, 1947. A. R. MANGNALL 2,415,058

CONSTRUCTION OF MACHINE FRAIIBWORKS 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 lllllll .llllllullllllllull;

hLL L L vezvtol Filed Feb. 16. 1944 LH L L L L 915 Feb. 18, 1947. AR. MANGNALL CONSTRUCTION OF MACHIINE FRAMEWORKS Filed Feb 16,1944 6 Sheets-Sheet 2v 1 Evan/tor I A. R. MANGNALL 2,416,058 CONSTRUCTION OF ilACI-IINE FRAMEWORKS Feb. 18, 1947.

Filed Feb. 16, 1944 6 Sheets-Sheet s a/lgzza, ZL m6 Feb.- 18, 1947. A. R. MANGNALL 2,416,058

' CONSTRUCTION OF MACHINE FRAMEWORKS Filed Feb. 16, 1944 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Feb.18,1947. 'A.R.MANGNALI LA 2, 6,

conswnucwzon OF MACHINE FRAMEWORKS Filed Feb. 16, 1944 I 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 .l j zg .21 1,9 8

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Feb. 18, 1947. A. R. MANGNALL CONSTRUCTION OF MACHINE FRAMEWORKS 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Feb. 16, 1944 Patented Feb. 18, 1947 CONSTRUCTION OF MACHINE FRAMEWORKS Arthur Rivington Mangnall, Chester, England,

assignor to The Hydraulic Engineering Company Limited, Chester, England I Application February 16, 1944, Serial No. 522,682

In Great Britain July 23, 1942 This invention relates to machine frameworks and particularly to such (for instance hydraulic vertical ram presses) as involve a bed or base frame joined by vertical sides or columns to an overhead frame or head and which it is the present practice to form as solid castings.

The invention has for its object to provide an improved construction of machine frameworks which involves ease of assembly and construction and enables the frameworks to be added to or subtracted from at will to increase or diminish the working capacity or field of the machinery or mechanism assembled thereon.

The invention consists in a laminated machine framework comprising a cross frame part connected between a pair of laterallyspaced column parts wherein each such part is composed of a plurality 'Of .plate elements connected together by connecting means'whichwhen a bending stress is applied to the cross frame permits the plates of the latter to move relatively to the plates of the column parts in the. direction of the applied stress so that this stress may be converted wholly into tensile stress in the-plates of the column parts exerted in the direction of the length thereof.

In the accompanying drawings-, a

Figure l is an end elevational view of a press having its framework constructed in accordance with the invention, 7

Figure 2 is a side view of Figure 1, a

Figure 3 is a fragmentary and part sectional side view of the press as shown in Figure 1 but illustrating on an enlarged scale at the top and bottom of the figure the mode of connection of the column plates with the head and base plates respectively,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary and exploded side elevational view of one form of the column, base and head plates employed in accordance with the invention, I

Figure 5 is a fragmentary end and part sectional view showing the wedge connections employed at the top and bottom ends of a column plate to take up clearances provided initially to facilitate the assembly of the laminated plate structure of the sides, base andhea'd 'ofthe'press framework,

Figure6 is a side view of Figure 5,

Figure 7 shows a modified construction ofthe cross plate'semployed to form the base and head of a, framework, I

Figure 8 is a side eleva-tionalviewof an adjacent pair of vertical plates (the central portions of which arebroken 'away for ease ofillustrationi 5 Claims. (01. 100-70) and of a construction of the transverse connect- I ing plates for these vertical plates,

Figure 8a. is a section on the line Bil-81} off,

Figure'8,

Figure 9 is a fragmentary elevational view illustrating an alternative construction oi transverse connecting plate,

Figure 9a is a section on the Figure 9,

Figure 10 is a fragmentary elevational view illustrating yet a further construction of trans verse connecting plate,

use Sciof Figure 10a is asection on the line Illa-10a of Figure 10,

Figure 11 is a fragmentary elevational view illustrating a still further construction of trans-' verse connecting plate, m

Figure lla is a section onv the line Ila-4111 of Figure 11, 1

Figure 12 is a fragmentary elevational :view illustrating yet another construction of transverse connecting plate, m

Figure 12a is a section on the line IZa-IZa of Figure 12 and Figure 13 is a view in'elevation of a press; of

the down-stroking type. I

In carrying the invention into effect in one convenient manner a machine framework which, in the specific example illustrated in Figure l,

comprises asbase I, a head 2 andvertical sides .or columns 3,"is built up from a plurality of flat plates, which would generally be of steel, assembled and secured together by transverse screw-v threadedrods l furnished with nuts to "former laminated structure which can be added to or subtracted from at will simply by removing the through bolts and adding or removing the plates as required.

The head and base as "shown in Figures 2 to '1, are each composed of a plurality of similar "flat plates 5 and '6 respectively each having an aperture '1 at its opposite ends through which the corresponding through boltsimay pass and disposed upon the through bolts so as to -alternate between the end portions of elongated flat plates 8, which form the ':vertical sides or columns of the machine framework, these being indicated generally by the reference 3 in Figure '1.

The vertical column plates 8 may be composed of single vertical plates as shown in Figure 4,

for example, or opposit pairs of such-plates may i be joined together at their top and bottom ends by singletransverse plates welded or otherwise joined to their respective vertical plates cr -such transverse connections maybe formed to provide? ends of the adjacent bushes.

, 3 for limited free expansion and contraction movements to take place and for this purpose may take a variety of forms as illustrated in Figures 8 to 12 and described later.

Near their ends each column plate 8 is provided with an aperture 9, so that inthe'assembled condition'of the plates there are four such apertures in all located near the corners of the rectangular frames constituted thereby, and'these apertures (which, in theassembled condition of the plates, provide a close fit for the screwthreaded rods 4 serving to secure the plates to:

gether) coincide: with the corresponding aper-I tures 'l'in the other plate members 5 and 6, in-: cluding the central apertures in bushes or collars I I I fitted into the enlarged apertures 1 in the in:

tervening rectangular plates and 6 and through work structure or by other suitable means pro- 7 vided for the same purpose. Thus, and as illustrated in Figures 4, 5'and 6 the clearance fits provided not only between th bushes i ii and the apertures l in the head and base plates 5 and 6 respectively but also between the through bolts 4 and the apertures 9 in the vertical side or column plates 8. and which facilitate the assembly of r the various plates are taken up by a wedge action which central apertures the screw-threadedrods pass with a close fit. The bushes or collars l0; are somewhat thicker than the transverse plates. El and 6 so that when all the plate membershave been assembled together and the screw-threaded rods 4 inserted, a tightening of securingnuts H at the projectingends of the bolts will produce a tightening of the ,column plates against the The arrangement providesthat thecolumn plates shall be in tension and subjected to no side'loading' on account 1 of the head'part of the framework, the separate intervening rectangular plates 5 and 5 of which arebapable (of independent deflection about the; bearing "surfaces afforded by the said bushings l0. In other words the connection of the plates of the head with the plates of the columns is such, that if stress is applied to the head, tending to'bend'the latter, the plates thereof are permitted to move relatively to the plates of the columns in the direction of the applied stress so that this stress is converted wholly into tensile j st ess in, the plates of the columns" 1 the. direction of the length'thereof.

exerted in The intervening'plates 5 in the head part of vided upon the pressand the extensions may be surface of which' pad pattern pieces carried on I a vertically, reciprocable. table "are pressed; the

rubber pad can be housed or accommodatedwith prior. to 'thetightening of the securing nuts on the screwed rods, of expanding rods connected between the alignedjintervening plates in the adland-t e.were? f9! =.q Pl ei a as follows:

' The clearance between the apertures l and the bearing bushes H] is clearly seen in Figures 3 and .4 and is indicated by the reference la. The

clearance fit between the apertures 9 in thevertical plates 8 and the through bolts '4 is also clearly seen in these two figures and indicated 7' by the reference 9a. Either loosely inserted in these apertures l and 9 or secured thereto, or

to the bolts and bushes, so as to take up theclearances there are arcuate bearing strips lb and 9b disposed so that theflone set of bearing strips (the strip 11) for instance). take up the clearance at the bottom and the other set (the set 91) for instance) tak up the clearance at the top. The wedge action by which the various plates are stressed outwards to take up all end play and Wear is obtained by providing the vertical plates 8 with side lugs I3, each of which on its outer end is formed with a central tongue portion l3a which engages in a corresponding recess in a stretcher blockl, of which'there is a counterpart 14a, which is disposed to bear against the inner longitudinal edgeeof a head plate 5 or 'a base plate 6, as the case may be, to provide pairs off stretcher blocks which combine to form between them a central Socket, [5 of taper 'form'to receive therein a conical plug [6 which is wedged into the socket by the operation of a screw bolt I 1,

which'causes the pairs of stretcher blocks to be forced'apart and thereby, wedged ti'ghtlyinto contact with their respective head or base plates the framework may,.as shown in Figure 7, be v 3 formed to have "depending eXtensiOnsBaattheir l ends and the o'uteredges of the extensions, which function like cantilevers,'may,as shown in the: figuretaper outwards and upwards to 1 thehuter edges of the n 's t s oh whic theyjareprovided; These depending extensions 1 may serve [to enclose horizontal side ra sp'ro-f of equal length or be unequal as shown in Figure 7.1 'Wh'en applied to a press employing an 'over-' 5 head elastic pad, such forinstance as a loaded. rubber pad, enclosed'in a box and against the and the said lugs l3, whereby the desired tightening of the plates of the laminated 'platelstruc ture is obtained; 1 The engagement of the tongues 13a ini'the recesses of the'stre'tcherfiblocks l lf prevents transverse movement of the latter with 'respect to their lugs 13 and thereby prevents the arrangement from working loose.

"Referring'to Figure 13, which asiabove indie cated, illustrates apress of the Y type, the frame being of the grid construction'as" described withreference to the, preceding'figures, encloses a box 29 housing the rubber pad 30 and takes up all the bursting stresses. The box is not moved up and downiby the cylinder 3| and ram 32 arranged above it, the raisingandlowering being effected by the side rams '33 in order to bring the box towards and away from the table 311, the ram, 32 effecting the pressing operation.

when the box is in position against the table. I

In such a construction while the overall width of the box;may be considerable, the columns may be kept close together by the grid plates being madeto pass through the spaces between the adjacent plates of the columns.

V The invention enables machine frameworks to" i V be. builtLup from standardised units each'com-j posed of a preassembled eries of column plates and intervening plates whereby to form a ma chine framework it is only necessary to take the requisite'number of such units, depending upon v the size of framework required, 'andsecure them 1 together side by side by through Ibolts passed W through the. units, and theIframework is. co n-. 1 teaiready'ror thelassembly 'ef the operating;

down-stroking U v f I parts -thereon, It may be onveni nce provide the pro-assembled plate units in full and part sections. For instance, sections "of assembled plates may be provided "which are equivalent to one half or another convenient fraction of *a complete unit "and which when-usedin association with one or'more complete units provide for a greater degree of freedom in the building up of .machine frameworks therefrom to suit particular requirements and sizes. The adjacent sections of pre-assembled plates may be maintained in spaced relation by "means of spacing bushes loosely provided upon the through bolts.

The spaces between the plates may also be employed with particular advantage to accommodate guides by which the .table .of a press can be guided for the desired "reciprocatory movement and which guides can therefore be of greatly increased length compared with ithose employed on [the usual column or pillar type presses since the guides can, in the present construction of framework, be made to extend beyond the table and be held-clear "of the table cylinder by being accommodated with-in the said spaces.

The spaces which ex-istbetween the adjacent column plates of the units may be used to accommodate parts of the mechanism or apparatus of the machine for which-theflamework is constructed. For instance, these spaces may serve for thepassage 'therethrou'gh of "the pipes of a hydraulic press.

It is obvious, of course, that the press framework can be adapted for use in any position. That is, it is not limited for use to form a vertical type press but can be applied to a horizontal type press or one which operates at an incline.

The intervening plates above referred to or the transverse connecting plates between the ad jacent pairs of vertical plates 8 are preferably so constructed as to provide for compensation for temperature changes and unequal expansion of the base and head plates. 1 a

For instance, and as shown in Figures 8a, 10, and a, each transverse frame plate can be divided into two separate parts l8, l8a secured at their outer ends one to each column plate 8 and connected together at their inner ends either by a strip of spring steel l9 (Figures 10 and 10a) which extends generally in a plane parallel with the columns or by a connecting link 2!] (Figures 8 and 8a), the two sections of each transverse plate being disposed in vertically stepped relationship upon the columns and the connection of the spring strip or link with one section being preferably such as will permit of an initial adjustment being effected. In Figures 8 and 8a the two plate parts l8, l8a are shown secured to the column plates by bolts having hexagonal heads IBb whereas in Figures 10 and 10a these two plate parts are shown secured to their respective column plates by lines of welding as indicated at I80.

Alternatively, and as shown in Figures 9 and 9a, each transverse frame plate can be formed in one piece and have a central connecting portion 2| in the form of a central Web extending parallel with the columns andjoining similar triangular or other shaped portions 22 of the plate which extend from either side of the Web and are secured to their respective columns by lines of welding Hid. Thus each transverse plate can be cut out from mild steel to have a central connecting web 2! which permits the desired expansion movements to take place.

Another construction, as shown in Figures 11 enacts 6 and lid, consists in makingeach'transverse plate in two parts each connected at its outer "end to its respective column plate 8 also by lines of welding 18d and one part 23 having 'at'its inner end a fork 23c across which a spring trip 24 is secured to lie 'in a central position 'betwee'n'tthe columns and in 'a'plane parallel therewith andt'o the central part of th free portion "of which spring the inner end of the other arm 23a 'is connected asby Welding. I

Yet another construction which enables the required movements to take place, and which is shown .in Figures 12 and 12a, involves forming each transverse plate in two half sections connedted at their outer ends to their respective columns also by lines of Welding and formed at their inner ends to have a jointed connection with each other such that the two sections of a transverse plate are freetto partake of an 'exe panding movement relatively to each other. Thus the inner end of one section 25 .inay be formed with a circular knob 26 which is accommodated within an open-ended slot '21 in the inner end of the other section 28, the slot extending perpendicular to the columns and the knob having sliding engagementwit'h the transversesides'of the slot.

1. A laminat'ed machine 'frafneworkcomprising in combination a pair of laterally spaced column parts each composed of a plurality of separate plate elements, a cross frame part connected to extend between the column parts and composed also of a plurality of separate plate elements, the plate elements of the column and cross frame parts being disposed. in parallel and laterally spaced relationship and in register one with the other in their respective parts, and end portions of the plates of the cross frame part being disposed in the spaces between end portions of the plates of the column parts so that these portions of the plates, which are provided with transverse apertures in register with one another, have an interleaved relationship with each other, bolt members connecting the plate elements of the cross frame part with the plates of the column parts and extending through the apertures in the interleaved portions of the plate elements in a direction transverse to the planes thereof, bush members in the apertures of the cross frame plates and encircling the bolt members so as to constitute bearing surfaces about which the plates of the cross frame may partake of movement rela-= tively to the plates of the column parts in the direction of the applied stress, whereby this stress may be converted wholly into tensile stress in the plates of the column parts exerted in the direction of the length thereof, the apertures in the said plates being formed to provide on assembly of the framework a clearance fit between the bolt and bush members, and means being provided to take up this clearance after assembly of the framework and thereby prevent end play in the finished framework.

2. A laminated machine framework comprising in combination a pair of laterally spaced column parts each composed of a plurality of separate plate elements, a cross fram part connected to extend between the column parts and composed also of a plurality of separate plate elements, the plate elements of the'column and cross frame parts being disposed in parallel and laterally V.

of the plates of the cross frame part being dis- 3 posed in the spaces between end portions of 1 the plates of the column parts so/that these portions of the plateshave an interleaved relationship with each other, the said interleaved plate jportions each having an aperture therein and (the said aperture being in register with each aother to provide a common transverse opening through'leach interleaved zone of the framework and bolt means extending through each said icommon transverse, opening and serving to confnect the plate elements of the cross frame part with the plates of the column parts; the apertures infthe'platesof the column parts approximating the diameter of their respective bolt element so that'the latter has a relatively tight fit in these apertures and the apertures in the plates of the cross frame being formed to provide bearing surjfacesabout whichthese last mentioned plates can partake of relative movement, whereby when :a bending stress is applied to the cross frame the plates offthe latter are free to move relatively to theplates of the'column parts in the direction of theapplied stress and this stress may therefore be converted wholly into tensile stress in the plates of the column parts exerted in the direction of the length thereof. a V

3. A laminated machine framework according to claim 2 wherein the apertures in the plates for the cross frame part are of larger diameter than the diameter of their respectiveboltele- -ment, and bush elements are secured in said apertures of larger diameter, the said bush elements serving to provide said bearing surfaces a 8 and through the medium of which bush elements the plate elements of the cross-frame part are supported on their respecti'vebolt elements;

4. A laminated machine framework according to claim 2 wherein the said bush elements are slightly thicker than the plates of the cross frame part whereby to provide a clearance fit between these plates and the adjacent plates of the col- 5.VA laminated machine framework according to claim-2 wherein the' cross frame part plate elements are formedto permit limited but free expansion and contraction movements of the cross frame. I Y ARTHUR RIVINGTON MANGNALL.

REFERENCES CITED 7 The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 1

British Mar. 27, 71944 

